Goa Congress leader Ketan Bhatikar dies after snake bite while travelling near border to Karnataka

He stopped briefly at a border ghat when bitten

Goa Congress leader Ketan Bhatikar died after being bitten by a snake late Thursday night near Karmal Ghat on the Goa-Karnataka border. Police said the 38-year-old was travelling toward Dandeli village in Karnataka when he got down and was bitten. He was rushed to a primary health centre in Dharbandora, Goa, but doctors declared him brought dead. Bhatikar had recently emerged as a key Congress face in the Ponda assembly bypoll, later cancelled after a high court order.